With voting close at several positions, there aren’t as many sure bets for the NL All-Star team as the AL squad. That’ll make things a bit more challenging today. Still, I’m going to give projecting the 21 hitters and 13 pitchers a try.Catcher
Locks: none
Possibilities: Yadier Molina, Brian McCann, Miguel Olivo, Rod Barajas, Ivan Rodriguez, Carlos Ruiz
Molina currently leads McCann in the fan balloting by about 120,000 votes. The best bet is that both go as the NL’s two catchers, but they are having down seasons. The NL’s top three catchers by OPS are Olivo, Geovany Soto and Nick Hundley. Barajas, with 11 homers and 30 RBI, has been the No. 1 run producer. Pudge is tops with a .316 average. I’m listing Ruiz because NL manager Charlie Manuel might go that route if he’s given a choice. There just aren’t any standouts here.First base
Lock: Albert Pujols
Possibilities: Joey Votto, Adrian Gonzalez, Troy Glaus, Adam Dunn, Aubrey Huff, Ryan Howard
The NL has five first basemen with OPSs over 900: Pujols (974), Votto (969), Gonzalez (961), Huff (949), and Dunn (929). Still, it remains to be seen how many of those guys will get the call when Glaus and Howard will have plenty of support themselves. Glaus leads the NL with 55 RBI, and Howard isn’t far behind at 51. Fortunately, with the DH spot available, at least four first basemen figure to make the team.Second base
Lock: Chase Utley
Possibilities: Martin Prado, Kelly Johnson, Dan Uggla, Brandon Phillips
All five second basemen listed here have OPSs between 837 and 874. I think Prado is a pretty sure thing to go as Utley’s backup, given his .339 average. Johnson also has a shot, particularly since no other Diamondback stands out.Third base
Locks: none
Possibilities: Placido Polanco, David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman, Scott Rolen, Mark Reynolds, Casey McGehee
Polanco currently has a 130,000-vote lead over Wright in the fan balloting. Zimmerman and Rolen have been the NL’s best third basemen this season, but it’s possible neither will get to go if Polanco’s lead holds up.Shortstop
Lock: Hanley Ramirez
Possibilities: Troy Tulowitzki*, Juan Uribe, Jose Reyes, Stephen Drew
It seemed like a given that Hanley and Tulo would be the NL’s shortstops, but Tulo’s broken wrist changed that in a hurry. Perhaps he’ll still be named to the squad and replaced. Uribe is the obvious candidate to fill in, even though he’s hardly a legitimate defensive shortstop these days. Behind Tulo at 877, Hanley at 862 and Uribe at 834, the next highest OPS for an NL shortstop belongs to Drew at 766.Outfield
Locks: Ryan Braun, Jason Heyward, Andre Ethier
Possibilites: Andrew McCutchen, Corey Hart, Jayson Werth, Marlon Byrd, Alfonso Soriano, Shane Victorino, Josh Willingham, Matt Holliday, Colby Rasmus, Jonny Gomes, Chris Young, Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Ludwick, Hunter Pence
Fourth-place outfielder Werth is 380,000 votes back of Ethier in the fan balloting, so it’s safe to assume the starting outfield is set.
I think McCutchen is nearly a lock as well. At .315/.392/.479 with 18 steals, he’s the obvious choice to represent the Pirates.
Hart, as the NL home run leader, looks like a strong bet to claim a spot. If Manuel has his way, it’s safe to assume that at least one from the Werth-Victorino duo will go. Werth is more deserving, but a true second center fielder would be nice. I’d like to see Rasmus get the nod for that spot. Young, as the potential lone Diamondback, is another option.Pitcher
SP possibilities: Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Johnson, Adam Wainwright, Roy Halladay, Matt Cain, Tim Hudson, Mike Pelfrey, Tim Lincecum, Jaime Garcia, Yovani Gallardo, Livan Hernandez, Chris Carpenter, Mike Leake, Carlos Silva, Clayton Kershaw, Roy Oswalt, Tommy Hanson, Stephen Strasburg
RP possibilities: Jonathan Broxton, Billy Wagner, Matt Capps, Carlos Marmol, Brian Wilson, Heath Bell, Francisco Rodriguez, Matt Lindstrom, Ryan Franklin, Leo Nunez, Luke Gregerson, Arthur Rhodes, Tyler Clippard
It’s impossible to project the pitching staff without knowing who is starting the Sunday before the game, but Jimenez, Johnson, Wainwright and Halladay seem like sure things, even if one or two end up being replaced on the roster.
Personally, I’m against the idea of Strasburg going and taking a spot away from someone who has earned it over the course of the season. And while they’ll never say it publically, I can’t imagine the Nationals are thrilled by the idea either.
In the bullpen, Broxton and Wagner seem like sure things and Marmol might go as the lone Cub. The choices for the lone Astro come down to Oswalt, Lindstrom and Pence. It figures that one of the pitchers will go.The 2010 NL All-Stars
Lineup
SS Hanley Ramirez
2B Chase Utley
1B Albert Pujols
RF Andre Ethier
LF Ryan Braun
DH Adrian Gonzalez
3B David Wright
CF Jason Heyward
C Yadier MolinaReserves
C Brian McCann
1B Joey Votto
1B Troy Glaus
1B Ryan Howard
2B Martin Prado
3B Ryan Zimmerman
3B Scott Rolen
SS Troy Tulowitzki*
SS Juan Uribe
OF Corey Hart
OF Andrew McCutchen
OF Jayson Werth
OF Chris YoungPitchers
Ubaldo Jimenez
Josh Johnson
Adam Wainwright
Roy Halladay
Matt Cain
Roy Oswalt
Tim Lincecum
Mike Pelfrey
Jonathan Broxton
Billy Wagner
Carlos Marmol
Brian Wilson
Heath Bell

The Cubs wrapped up a four-game series against the Reds at Wrigley Field on Thursday afternoon, suffering a 13-10 loss to split the set. They’ll match up again against the Reds next week for a three-game series in Cincinnati. That’s good news for Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, because that means he’ll get to see Reds first baseman Joey Votto some more.

As CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney reports, Bryant has grown quite fond of Votto. Bryant has already won a World Series ring, a Rookie of the Year Award, and an MVP Award, but he still looks up to Votto. According to Bryant, Votto is “the best player ever.” He added, ““He’s my favorite player. I love watching him. I love talking to him, just picking his brain. He gets a lot of (heat) about his walks and working at-bats and some people want him to swing at more pitches. But, gosh, I mean, he does an unbelievable job. You know that he’s going to give you a great at-bat every time he goes up there. It’s definitely a guy that I look up to and I can learn from.”

Bryant said that Votto is “a future Hall of Famer, that’s for sure.”

Bryant also explained how his approach changed by watching Votto. He said that in his rookie season, he was “swinging at everything.” Votto, however, is “aggressive, but he’s not going to swing at a pitch until he wants it.”

Indeed, in Bryant’s rookie season, he struck out in nearly 31 percent of his 650 plate appearances. This season, he has struck out in only 19 percent of his PA. His walk rate has also increased by more than 2.5 percent since his rookie campaign. Compared to last year, Bryant is down in HR and RBI, but his average is the same, his on-base percentage is markedly better, and his slugging percentage is only down by a minute amount.

Diamondbacks second baseman Daniel Descalso hit his team’s third inside-the-park home run of the season during Thursday’s 4-0 win over the Astros. In the top of the fourth inning, with the score 1-0 and the bases empty, Descalso ripped a 1-0, 83 MPH change-up to right-center field. The ball caromed off the wall, heading towards left field, which sent center Jake Marisnick on the chase. Marisnick tried to pick up the ball with his glove, but dropped it, which sealed Descalso’s destiny for an inside-the-parker.

It had only been five days since the Diamondbacks’ last inside-the-park home run. David Peralta hit one against the Cubs on August 12. Ketel Marte legged out his club’s first ITPHR on July 26 against the Braves.

As ESPN Stats & Info notes, the Diamondbacks have three as a team, which is amazing because the other 29 teams have hit seven combined.